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Anthrax Drummer Charlie Benante Discusses New Album And Former Singer Joey Belladonna

posted Mar 9, 2009 at 8:45 AM by Diamond Oz.  (21 Comments)

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante recently did an interview with The Quietus.com. Some excerpts from the chat are as follows:

Thequietus.com: The new record Worship Music was scheduled for a May release, is that still going to happen? And what stage are you at?

Charlie Benante: "Well, that was always the plan and it’s possible that it’ll still happen that way, it kind of depends how things go. The drums are done, but the vocal parts and some of the guitar stuff is happening now, and we haven’t mixed it yet. We haven’t decided where it will even be mixed - LA and New York are possible. As far as how it will sound, it will have elements of Spreading The Disease type stuff and some elements of newer stuff like We’ve Come For You All."

Thequietus.com: Joey Belladonna sang on arguably your most commercially successful material. What exactly happened with Joey?

CB: "Honestly, I could name lots of different things on lots of different days but all in all the differences were musical and the direction that Anthrax the band wanted to go and the way Joey wanted were two different things. As far as being in contact with him I am not, but I mean it’s not like Joey doesn’t have all my numbers and everything..."

Read the full article at TheQuietus.com.

What's Next?

21 Comments on "Anthrax Drummer Discusses New Album, Belladonna"

dark666rage's avatar

Member

1. dark666rage writes:

hmmmm it will have elements of Spreading the Disease? Well ya need to bring back Belladonna then.....hint hint.

# Mar 9, 2009 @ 11:00 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

2. Diamond Oz writes:

I've never liked Belladonna. He ruined Anthrax's set at Download in 2005 for me by not being able to sing in tune with the rest of the band and I just generally didn't feel a connection with him. As I've said thousands of times before, I was so angry when they kicked John Bush out it was unreal. The Belladonna reunion was one of the most pointless things ever.

# Mar 9, 2009 @ 11:48 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
americanpatriot1's avatar

Member

3. americanpatriot1 writes:

Belladonna was way over rated, and in my opinion, never really fit. I've heard good things about the new guy.

NP: Amorphis- On Rich and Poor

# Mar 9, 2009 @ 12:24 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
BodomFan's avatar

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4. BodomFan writes:

Not a fan of Belladonna. John Bush was their best vocalist by far

# Mar 9, 2009 @ 12:27 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Netromancer's avatar

Member

5. Netromancer writes:

I gotta say Charlie is the man. No pun intended :) Just a great drummer, great writer and all-around cool guy. As for John Bush, he kept Anthrax alive through the 90's and early 2000's. Joey's voice really outdated the band's sound. I love the old stuff, but without Bush they would have sunk.

# Mar 9, 2009 @ 3:27 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

6. Jayzun13 writes:

BRING BACK BUSH....John, that is. All the best Anthrax was during the JB era, even though many Metal Purists would disagree.

# Mar 10, 2009 @ 2:14 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

7. TimW writes:

Post #5...thats like saying Rob Halfords voice outdates Judas Priest....jesus f***ing christ man!

# Mar 10, 2009 @ 4:58 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

8. Diamond Oz writes:

No it isn't like saying that at all. Halford can A) sing in tune and B) Halford has still been able to evolve his voice through the years. Belladonna's voice was just like 80% of other thrash metal vocalists during the 80s whereas there's no other vocalist like Rob Halford.

# Mar 10, 2009 @ 5:19 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Netromancer's avatar

Member

9. Netromancer writes:

TimW, I understand where you are coming from, but Halfords range and vocal ability are a bit better than Joey's in my opinion. Also Priest has been fairly consistent with their musical composition throughout their career. I wonder though, if Joey's vocals would have worked as well with "The Sound of White Noise" or "Stomp 442" as John Bush? The music was a bit of a different style than the older albums.

I'm just saying that I don't know if Anthrax would have the staying power Judas Priest has. Hell, even they toured with a different singer for a while during that time. I love Anthrax with both singers however, and always have been a Priest fan as well.

# Mar 10, 2009 @ 6:16 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
dark666rage's avatar

Member

10. dark666rage writes:

well put Netromancer, i grew up with Belladonna w/ Anthrax and i loved his work. I also did like Bush as well, just took me some time to get used to the different sound. Also a huge Halford fan and i still think he has one of the best voices in metal still along with d***inson. Halford actually did quite well solo, were as i really didnt care for Priest with Ripper. Oh course there are not too many bands that are as good w/o their original singers in my opinion. Motley Crue tried it and failed miserably, Iron Maiden tried it with Blayze (which i dont think he is a horrible singer, but dont fit in with Maiden too good) and failed as well. Im just glad to see alot of the bands that i grew up with are still around touring and some putting out new albums.

# Mar 10, 2009 @ 8:55 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

11. Diamond Oz writes:

I love all of Halford's solo stuff, my favourite of which is 2wo and I really can't understand why it failed so bad. I thought it was fantastic. The band Halford was awesome too. I don't like Fight as much as Halford and 2wo but they were still awesome. I've only heard a few Priest songs with Ripper and didn't really like them. Didn't hate them either.

# Mar 10, 2009 @ 9:02 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
dark666rage's avatar

Member

12. dark666rage writes:

oh cool Diamond...lol. Havent heard anyone mention Two forever, i did buy that cd which is called Yoyeurs...featuring John 5 on guitar. I thought it was a GREAT effort by Halford, and i must agree with you, i dont understand why it did not go over well. Anyways, i guess there are 2 of us here that liked it...lol. I would also agree with you about Fight as well, not some of my favorite outings by Halford, but i do own those on cds as well.

# Mar 11, 2009 @ 2:43 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Diamond Oz's avatar

Senior News Correspondent

13. Diamond Oz writes:

Lol we are the 2wo 2wo fans! Good to see I'm not alone in loving that album.

Now playing: Judas Priest - Deal With The Devil (Rising In The East DVD)

# Mar 11, 2009 @ 7:54 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
americanpatriot1's avatar

Member

14. americanpatriot1 writes:

Dark and Oz, while I'm not really a Priest fan, I did like Fight. As far as 2wo, it had more of an industrial edge to it, which I think p***ed off alot of the purists. I haven't heard it, but I read several good reviews, and they liked it simply because he thought outside the box on it. The few tracks from Halford that I heard were fairly blistering as well. Going back to Fight, I thought WOW was just great, but SDS was merely OK.

NP: Protest The Hero= The Dissentience

# Mar 11, 2009 @ 8:14 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
That_One_Guy's avatar

Member

15. That_One_Guy writes:

John Bush and Joey Belladonna were both great vocalists, in my opinion. For me, it just depends on the mood I'm in for which version of Anthrax I listen to.

# Mar 18, 2009 @ 1:55 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Txmetalhead's avatar

Member

16. Txmetalhead writes:

I WAS a huge Anthrax fan when Anthrax had John Bush. I have never liked Belladonna, and I agree with Patriot - Bella is overrated! Bush was so much better, and had more vocal range...+ I secretly was into Armored Saint too. Bush is a top vocalist.

# Mar 18, 2009 @ 2:37 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Txmetalhead's avatar

Member

17. Txmetalhead writes:

Just listen to Black Lodge or Room for One More...Bush was outstanding! I want John back in Anthrax too. The last disc(We've Come for You All) was killer....I still listen to it off and on.

# Mar 18, 2009 @ 2:40 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Jackrum's avatar

Supporter

18. Jackrum writes:

Bring back John Bush

# Mar 18, 2009 @ 4:36 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Netromancer's avatar

Member

19. Netromancer writes:

I don't know. The new guy has some chops. I've heard his take on some of John Bush's songs and have to say it was pretty good. My only concern is how the older stuff will sound. At any rate I can understand why the guys chose him.

# Mar 18, 2009 @ 5:26 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

20. hamip1998 writes:

I like them both. I like Bush with Armored Saint and about 80% of his stuff with Anthrax. Some of it's too pop for me. Joey was and will be the singer most identified with Anthrax - I think with Bush they moved away from being a true thrash band and more towards sounding like their contemporaries. Not a bad thing, just different.
Most of the people who say "Bush was better" are probably saying that because that's the Anthrax music that they knew first. Joey's voice has deteriorated a bit, but I saw him live a couple of years ago with his band and the thrax tunes that he covered sounded great.
Two great singers, two different styles. Me, I will always prefer Joey, but I like JB too.

# Mar 19, 2009 @ 3:16 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

21. hamip1998 writes:

For those who think WCFYA is their best work, have you ever even listened to Persistence of Time?

# Mar 20, 2009 @ 9:40 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address

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